Brewer Spotlight: I & I Brewing
I’ve wanted to visit I & I Brewing in Chino for a few months now, and finally got the chance to do so and I’m really glad that I did.
On Friday I saw the tweet they posted about beers on tap for the weekend, which included a Blueberry Hefeweizen, Mango Abbey Ale and a Wasabi Ginger Saison. When I arrived around 7pm the small little bar was already raging with a diverse group of beer drinkers. I asked for a sampler tray and asked me what I wanted to try and I replied “all of them.” Funny thing, is that they looked at me like I was a drunk because they actually had 14 different beers on tap, which is not very typical of such a small brewery.
They really had some great brews and definitely something for everyone. Eric and his staff were super friendly and took the time to talk to me and answer any questions. My two favorite brews during the evening were the Session IPA and the Black IPA.
The session IPA packed a lot of nice hoppy flavors with an ABV of only 4.7%. Eric said that his partner Chuck had been refining that recipe for many years. Eric told me that the Black IPA was his recipe, which was nice and roasty with a nice, semi-sweet, hoppy finish. I ended up leaving with a 1-liter growler of the Black IPA to share with my friends the next day.
It’s amazing that so many nano breweries like this are popping up in the Inland Empire, and I’m really happy to say that I loved the uniqueness and effort that goes into I & I brews. Its also amazing that since January of this year I&I has outgrown the current facility they are using and are moving into a much bigger unit across the street, which will be a bit easier to find since it faces Edison Ave. Beers in Paradise supports and wishes the best of luck to I & I Brewing as they continue to venture into the universe of craft beer.
Cheers!
Joe Stewart VI
I & I Brewing
14175 Telephone Ave.
Suite J
Chino, CA 91710
909.591.3915
Brewery hours: Friday 4pm-9pm; Saturday 1pm-9pm
